Letter to King of Aceh (1601)

by Elizabeth I

Elizabeth by the grace of God, Queene of England, France and Ireland,
defendresse of the Christian Faith and Religion.

To the great and mightie King of Achem, &c. in the Iland of Sumatra,
our louing Brother, greeting.

The eternall God, of his diuine knowledge and prouidence, hath so disposed his blessings, and good things of his Creation, for the vse and nourishment of Mankind, in such sort: that notwithstanding they growe in diuers Kingdomes, and Regions of the World: yet, by the industrie of Man (stirred vp by the inspiration of the said omnipotent Creator) they are dispersed into the most remote places of the vniuersall World. To the end, that euen therein may appeare vnto all Nations, his maruelous workes, hee hauing so ordained, that the one land may haue need of the other. And thereby, not only breed intercourse and exchange of their Merchandise and Fruits, which doe superabound in some Countries, and want in others: but also ingender loue, and frendship betwixt all men, a thing naturally diuine.

Whereunto wee hauing respect (Right noble King) and also to the honorable, and truly royall fame, which hath hither stretched, of your Highnesse humane and noble vsage of Strangers, which repaire into that your Kingdome, in loue and peace, in the Trade of Merchandise, paying your due Customes. Wee haue beene mooued to giue Licence vnto these our Subiects, who with commendable and good desires, saile to visite that your Kingdome: Notwithstanding, the dangers and miseries of the Sea, naturall to such a Voyage, which (by the grace of God) they will make, beeing the greatest that is to be made in the World: and to present trafficke vnto your Subiects. Which their offer, if it shall bee accepted by your Highnesse, with such loue and grace, as wee hope for, of so great and magnanimious a Prince: Wee, for them, doe promise, that in no time hereafter, you shall haue cause to repent thereof, but rather to reioyce much. For their dealing shall be true, and their conuersation sure, and wee hope, that they will giue so good proofe thereof, that this beginning shall be a perpetuall confirmation, of loue betwixt our Subiects on both parts: by carrying from vs, such things and merchandise as you haue need of there. So that your Highnesse shall be very well serued, and better contented, then you haue heretofore beene with the Portugals and Spaniards, our Enemies: who only, and none else, of these Regions, haue frequented those your, and the other Kingdomes of the East. Not suffering that the other Nations should doe it, pretending themselues to be Monarchs, and absolute Lords of all these Kingdomes and Prouinces: as their owne Conquest and Inheritance, as appeareth by their loftie Title in their writings. The contrarie whereof, hath very lately appeared vnto vs, and that your Highnesse, and your royall Familie, Fathers, and Grandfathers, haue (by the grace of God, and their Valour) knowne, not onely to defend your owne Kingdomes: but also to giue Warres vnto the Portugals, in the Lands which they possesse: as namely in Malaca, in the yeere of the Humane Redemption 1575. vnder the conduct of your valiant Captaine, Ragamacota, with their great losse and the perpetuall honour of your Highnesse Crowne and Kingdome.

And now, if your Highnesse shall be pleased, to accept into your Fauour and Grace, and vnder your royall Protection and Defence, these our Subiects, that they may freely doe their businesse now, and continue yeerely hereafter: This Bearer, who goeth chiefe of this Fleet of foure Ships, hath order (with your Highnesse Licence) to leaue certaine Factors, with a setled House of Factorie in your Kingdome, vntill the going thither of another Fleet, which shall goe thither vpon the returne of this. Which left Factors, shall learne the Language, and customes of your Subiects, whereby, the better and more louingly to conuerse with them.

And the better to confirme this Confederacie, and Friendship betwixt vs, wee are contented, if your Highnesse be so pleased, that you cause Capitulations reasonable to be made: and that this Bearer doe the like in Our name. Which wee promise to performe royally, and entirely, as well herein, as in other Agreements and Arguments which he will communicate vnto you: to whom, wee doe greatly desire your Highnesse to giue intire faith and credite, and that you will receiue him, and the rest of his companie, vnder your Royall protection, fauouring them in what shall be Reason and Iustice. And we promise on our behalfe, to re-answere in like degree, in all that your Highnesse shall haue need, out of these our Kingdomes, And wee desire, that your Highnesse would be pleased to send vs answere, by this Bearer of this our Letter, that wee may thereby vnderstand of your Royall acceptance of the Friendship and League, which wee offer, and greatly desire, may haue an happie beginning, with long yeeres to continue.